University of Southern California

Career Services Programs

The Career Services Office has put together a number of programs to meet your career development needs. If you are interested in any of these programs please contact the Career Services Office in Ralph and Goldy Lewis Hall Room 108 or the Career Services Office in the State Capital Center, 1800 I Street, Sacramento.

Below is a sampling of program offerings.

» Professional Mentor Program
» Networking Events
» Career Workshops
» Externship Program
» Internship Program
» Individual Career Advising

Professional Mentor Program
The mentor program matches you with a professional in a field you might be interested in working in. We ask the mentor to meet with you at least once a month and to attend a number of functions with you on campus. The mentor is there to help you answer career questions, to develop a professional network, and provide you an opportunity to strategize in developing a career strategy. This program starts in the fall and ends in April the following year. All of the mentors are volunteers who have graciously offered their time and expertise to help our students further their career goals.
Mentor and Mentee Handbook

Networking Events
SPPD holds 2 networking events in Los Angeles each academic year - fall and spring semesters. This is a social event where you mingle with fellow students and professionals. It is a fun evening of getting to know fellow Trojans who will tell you about their job and their careers. You might even hit it off with an alumni who will invited to lunch for further discussions. It is suggested that bring with you a lot of business cards!

At the State Capital Center, networking lunches are held on many Fridays throughout the year. These are informal get-togethers with professionals who share insight and advice with you. An evening networking reception is held in late fall each year. Faculty, students, fellow Trojan professionals and friends of USC meet to create and renew their connections.

Career Workshops
A number of workshops on resume building, networking, and interviewing are offered during the academic year. In addition, we sponsor career panel discussions as well as individual speakers who want to share with you their work experiences.

Externship Programs
An externship is a volunteer "shadowing" style opportunity for undergraduates, and first- and second-year graduate students. Participants spend from two to five days during their spring-break week actively working with professionals, while gaining exposure to an occupational area related to their training.

The externships are not for academic credit or pay, but the experience will greatly benefit both the students and sponsors. The extended time span of the externship gives the student the ability to refine their career goals while allowing the sponsor to examine the interests, skills and competencies of potential employees or interns.

Internship Program
An internship is a unique opportunity to develop a three-way exchange among the student, the University and the organization. This will be your most valuable experience in providing you an opportunity to explore different career paths as well as a method to help you determine your likes and dislikes. An internship will help you develop your personal and professional skills, and also help you develop the necessary networking skills to launch a successful career.

All undergraduate students are REQUIRED to complete at least one internship concurrently with an internship seminar. Graduate students are admitted as either in–service or pre–service. If pre–service you will need to complete an internship and complete the Internship Seminar Course. Internships are typically one semester in length, which requires you to work an average of 16 hours a week. The internships may be paid, unpaid or a volunteer arrangement. Here are a few examples of past internships:

  • US State Department
  • General Accounting Office
  • Department of Justice
  • Deloitte & Touche
  • Toyota
  • ACLU
  • Enterprise Foundation
  • LA Board of Supervisors
  • Trust for Public Land
  • United Way
  • USC University Hospital
  • Health Net
  • City of Long Beach
  • City/County of Los Angeles
  • LA Children's Hospital
  • Mayor's Office
  • Cedars Sinai
  • FBI
  • Sierra Club
  • Japan Trade Organization
  • World Trade Center Assoc.
  • Cotton & Bridges
  • MTV Networks
  • Dept. of Water & Power
  • Planned Parenthood
  • LA Family Housing Corp.
  • Merrill Lynch
  • National Youth Sports Prog.
  • LA Superior Court
  • CB Richard Ellis
Interns have been involved in but not limited to:
  • Compiling a comprehensive evaluation of city departments for budgeting.
  • Developing an understanding of local, state, and federal legislative processes.
  • Researching and analyzing legislative bills.
  • Writing press releases and sitting in on campaign strategy meetings.
  • Working on economic development plans.
  • Determining cost cutting measures in the healthcare industry.
  • Surveying county mental health needs and writing up results.
  • Assisting LA County with capital financing and municipal bond packaging.
  • Working on redistricting plans for LA County.
Undergraduates with a special interest in interning in Washington, D.C. you should investigate the Semester in D.C. Program early in your planning to be sure you do not miss an opportunity to have an effect on national politics and to serve the nation's population!

Please review the job and internship listings

Individual Career Advising
It is a good idea to get some individual career advising from the SPPD Career Services Offices as well as the main Career Planning and Placement Center (CPPC). Start early! That is the best advice for an undergraduate. Start planning in the junior year and by the beginning of your senior year you should be registered with CPPC so you can participate in their on campus interviewing program. Graduate students also need to start early since you only have two years with us.